Generally, a fishing reel having a spool shaft journalled at both axial ends thereof to a pair of first and second side frames, has been well-known. The spool shaft is provided with an extending shaft portion which extends through the second side frame and extends outwardly therefrom, the extending shaft portion carrying a tubular shaft having a pinion and being slidable between the position where the tubular shaft engages with the spool shaft and the position where the tubular shaft disengages from the spool shaft. The pinion engages with a driving gear supported to an input shaft carrying a handle, so that a driving force is transmitted from the driving gear to the spool shaft through the tubular shaft, thereby rotating the spool.
There are two methods for journalling the spool shaft to the first and second side frames, one of which is that the spool shaft is journalled at one axial end thereof to the first side frame and an outer end of the extending shaft portion carrying the tubular shaft is journalled to a housing provided outside the second side frame, and the other is that the spool shaft is journalled at its one axial end to the first side frame and at an intermediate portion to the second side frame.
In the former method, the spool shaft length between bearings is excessive and is subjected to a load from the fishing line resulting in deflection of the shaft. Hence, the deflection moves the spool radially thereof, so that flanges at both axial sides of the spool are brought into contact with the inner periphery of an annular socket at each side frame to thereby apply a greater resistance to the rotation of the spool.
To overcome the above problem, the spool shaft diameter is increased, but this increases the weight. On the other hand, if the gap between the outer periphery of each flange and the inner periphery of the annular socket is made larger, the flange's outer periphery, even when the spool shaft deflects, is free from contact with the inner periphery of the annular socket, thereby solving the above problem. The gap, however, is large enough to allow the fishing line, when unloaded, to enter into the gap. Hence, the aforesaid problem is not well solved.
In the latter method, the spool shaft is made smaller in length between both bearings to avoid the problem of deflecting the spool shaft. However, the extending shaft portion of the spool shaft supporting the tubular shaft is put in a cantilever condition, whereby when the spool is subjected to a greater load for winding the line and a driving force increases which is transmitted from the driving gear to the spool shaft through the pinion, the extending shaft portion deflects, thus creating the problem that the pinion disengages from the driving gear, or teeth of each gear are one-sidedly worn out.